i Love Dogs is powered by a small group of passionate dog lovers. Meet our pack – and the animals they love!
Want to join our team? Check out our careers page to see what openings we have available.
Martha & Shelby
One of the things I’ve always loved about having dogs is the community that almost automatically gets built up around them. Whether it’s seeing the same people every day on my morning walk with Shelby and Diesel, my rescue Pit mixes, watching them meet new friends at the dog beach and neighborhood dog park, or finding new dog-friendly places we can take them, they inspire a circle of other dog lovers that we wouldn’t otherwise be a part of.
To me, this is one of the wonderful things about i Love Dogs – it builds on that community of dog lovers and develops it in the online sphere. Part of our mission is growing our community of dog lovers around the web. We love posting great interviews with and articles about dog-friendly folk, veterinarians, advocates and dog lovers just like you! If you have any questions or feedback, or any suggestions for stories we should cover, send me an email, or let us know via Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
CREATIVE
Laura, Ella & Leroy
I’m a longtime professional writer whose love for mutts started when I was three and my family adopted a German Shepherd-something pound puppy.
I was honored recently to be named Blogger of the Week by PetPR.com, and to be interviewed by the Associated Press for a story I broke about a McDonald’s commercial that negatively portrayed Pit Bulls.
Along with dogs, I love turtles, elephants and other critters, and blog about animals for Change.org.
When I’m not writing about animals, I like to bake cupcakes, play the piano and hang out with my two Pit Bull-mix pound pups: Leroy and Ella.
I used to buy into the hype that Pit Bulls were mean and vicious…until I got one of my own. Now I know their main offense is “waterboarding” you with slobbery kisses, along with always wanting to hop onto your lap and snuggle, even though they weigh 70 pounds. Ow.
Kara & Snoopy
My love affair with both dogs and news reporting coincidently started when I was just 5 years old. I would to sneak off with a fistful of Cheerios for my neighbor’s dog, Kuma (which means bear in Japanese), before I ran off to investigate the world with my mini tape recorder. Some of my happiest memories are sitting out in the cold with Kuma, petting him between his eyes and slipping a few bits of cereal between the chain link fence that stood between us.
It wouldn’t be until much later when I would fall in love again with my first dog, Snoopy, a Norwegian Elkhound-Akita-German Shepherd mix from the Carson, Calif., animal shelter. With his ribs showing, thin gray fur and a giant head, no one would even imagine that he would become the beautiful dog that he did.
Today, I share my apartment with a zoo of animals: four bunnies, two parakeets, a 15-year-old cat, and the newest edition, a teacup Chihuahua named Sammy. Mobber, a 2-year-old Pit Bull-Labrador mix, still lives at home with my parents, who have a large backyard for him to play in.
In my spare time I enjoy taking photographs and altering them, traveling, target shooting and improving my aim, cooking, eating, blogging and playing video games.
I was born in El Paso, Texas, and raised on the plains of Western Kansas. An animal lover from the start, I spent a lot of time playing with and caring for the animals that I found – even bringing some home and housing them in my drawers, much to my mother’s chagrin.
Sonya & Scout
Disregarding my mother’s constant warnings about ringworm and rabies, I befriended as many dogs and cats as I could. Little did I know I was actually preparing myself for the first dog-love of my young life, a Spitz-mix I called Becky.
From the moment I laid eyes on that fluffy little fur ball, I knew I had to have her, and the feeling was quite mutual. Both young puppies, we bonded immediately over our love for each other and getting into trouble. My parents, however, did not want a dog, much less a puppy, and told me no every time I asked if I could have her. Plus, she already had a good home with my parents’ friends. Well, I’m not a person who hears the word “no,” and I began a campaign unlike any other to bring Becky home, and I won.
Since then I have had a bevy of cats and two more dogs, both female, and one Beta fish called Oscar. My current dog, Scout, is my best friend and travel companion. She’s very good at rolling with the punches, taking long car rides and snuggling … at 85 pounds! Since we moved to Southern California from Denver, Colo., she has also discovered a love for the beach and swimming in the ocean. Just like her mama, she loves her new life as a California girl.
- Tony Shanks – New Media/Marketing Manager
Tony
Native Southerner. I’ve done marketing/advertising for most of my adult life. When my middle-school library installed the first Apple IIe, I was hooked. I’ve been using Macs as a tool since.
I’ve started two digital design businesses, three theatre companies and a music production company. I have also been a writer, editor and photographer for several publications.
i Love Dogs is home to me because I can wear many hats. Also, it’s an impassioned group of people with a singular focus.
Amelia & Amiko
I’m a Journalism major at California State University, Long Beach, and I’ve had a love affair with dogs ever since I was a child. I love walking my Keeshond, Nala, around the block or playing with my boyfriend’s Leonberger, Amiko, in the sand at the dog beach.
Interning for i Love Dogs is one of the best things about my college experience. Not only do I get the pleasure of writing about something that I love, but I also get to use my social media expertise to Tweet, Facebook and Foursqaure about the company. Writing for the websites has also been the perfect excuse for me to go on more adventures to dog-friendly venues with Nala or Amiko.
When I’m not with my pups, I’m at the rink playing ice hockey or watching the latest Anaheim Ducks game. I also enjoy playing video games, watching movies or curling up with a good book.
- Contributing Writers
 Linda Chavez |
 ElisaJordan |
 AudreyWong |
 SamanthaMadlangbayan |
 SuzanGridley |
SALES AND SUPPORT
- Eugenia & Cody
I’m a dog training and behavior consultant homegrown in the South Bay area of Southern California. With more than 20 years of experience working with dogs, I’ve done everything from teaching pet parents how to use positive, gentle and fun techniques to teach their dogs, to helping those who want their dogs to learn basic social skills. I’ve even worked with pet parents who need help to even touch their terrified rescue dog.
My first dog was a very silly Doberman puppy named Jet that my family brought home when I was just 8 years old. I’m now the proud dog momma to a spunky 4-year-old Pomeranian named Cody. My favorite thing about working at i Love Dogs is dog-friendly Fridays and, of course, the company of the i Love Dogs “pack.” When I’m not playing with Cody, I enjoy teaching others how to train their dogs, reading dog-training books, riding horses, watching “24″ (Goodbye, Jack!) and continuing the search for the perfect dark chocolate.
- Diane Kondo – Sales Representative
Diane
I am from Studio City, Calif. Growing up I had cats and birds. My cat, Dinah, traveled with me all over the place. She was 18 years old when she crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
I currently have two dogs: An Akita-Lab mix named Freckles because she has big freckles all over her face, and a full-breed Jindo named Ichiro. Both are rescues.
As a child, I loved to ice skate and was even a part of the Ice Capades as both a skater and a coach for a number of years. I was also a child model.
I have always loved fashion. I have a degree in fashion design and I am still designing today. I was able to turn this love into a successful career, working as a sales rep for Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and the California Mart, before I left the world of high fashion for the world of natural pet food.
It was a natural switch, as I am very passionate about nutrition for dogs and bestowing upon them the utmost care and love you can possibly give.
I worked for Nutro and PetCo as a natural food advocate before becoming a sales rep at i Love Dogs, Inc.
One of the things I love most about my job is the relationship I have with our clients, and also sharing my knowledge about natural nutrition and how awesome our supplements are.
- Stacey Stallard – Online Sales Representative
Stacey
I was that little girl whose walls were plastered with posters of puppies and kittens, and I had a Breyer toy horse collection. Essentially, I am an animal lover from way back, and if my living situation were amenable, I would most certainly have a menagerie.
As a child, when I was thwarted by my parents in my desire for a dog, I decided to take it up with a higher authority. I asked my Sunday school teacher if my parents had to answer to God, and when she answered that God was the final word, I prayed for a cat. I then informed my parents that I went over their heads. When a cat appeared two days later, I told them, “This is my cat from God.” They really could not argue, and that is how I became a cat person.
My current cat companion is Fredo, who quite frankly believes he is human.
I come from a sales background and have worked for such companies as MGM/UA, Disney and BowTie Press. Despite my lack of canine companionship, I am very happy to be a part of the i Love Dogs Team. I am eager to grow the community of dog-friendly destinations on ilovedogfriendly.com and our Dog Friendly iPhone app.
It has been exciting to see the i Love Dogs community quickly becoming the “one-stop shop for all things dog,” and I am honored to be a small part of it.
- Alvin Lou – Accountant
Alvin & Allin
As a native Californian, I was one of the lucky few that graduated from UCLA when tuition was still cheap – just $250 a quarter. (Shh!) I’ve been working with i Love Dogs since July 2010. I love the small company atmosphere, the closeness of the employees and being a part of a growing company that is full of challenges and benefits from my experience. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with Linda, my wife of 24 years; my daughter, Heather; and my stepdaughter, Lori Jean.
I have always loved animals and shared my life with several dogs, starting with my first pooch, a Cocker Spaniel named Taffy. Currently, we have two Silky Terriers: Zoe, who’s 14, and her daughter, 11-year-old Madeline. Our newest edition is an 8-month-old Morkie named Allin, who joined our family after Zoe’s hubby, a 16-year-old Silky Terrier named Clover, passed away last year.
In my spare time I enjoy golfing, bowling, fast pitch softball, fishing, and learning about computers and technology.
